In the Pleasant City neighborhood of West Palm Beach, a memorial of balloons, candles, and photos marked the spot where 18-year-old Ri’Chard Jackson tragically lost his life on the afternoon of Monday, January 26, 2026. A senior at Worthington High School, Jackson was just months away from graduation, a milestone his family was eagerly anticipating.
His aunt mentioned she had just told him how proud she was of him and that she was going to buy his cap and gown.
On that fateful day, at approximately 3:40 p.m., Jackson had just walked out of his grandmother's house on 16th Street when gunfire erupted. He was found with multiple gunshot wounds following an altercation that police say involved several people. His family believes he was not the intended target but was tragically caught in the crossfire, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The shooting occurred just steps from his grandmother's home, and the memorial stands where he collapsed.
The community and his family are left grappling with the sudden and violent loss of a young life on the cusp of a new chapter. Family members remember him as a good person and are devastated that he will never get to experience graduation, a moment they were all so eagerly looking forward to. As of early February 2026, the West Palm Beach police were still investigating the shooting, and no arrests had been made in connection with Ri'Chard Jackson's death. The search for the person or persons responsible for his death continues.
